This invention relates to aqueous dispersions of S-EB-S block copolymer and the use of such aqueous dispersions in forming articles, preferably by dip forming.
Thin-walled, extensible articles such as gloves, condoms, and other products have long been made from natural rubber. In normal production, such articles are formed from natural rubber latex, a naturally occurring emulsion of rubber and water, with added stabilizing agents and vulcanizing chemicals. A form of the appropriate shape, previously coated with a coagulating solution in some cases, is dipped into the latex mixture once or several times to build up a layer of the desired thickness. The water is allowed to evaporate, leaving a solid rubber film. The film must be vulcanized to provide adequate mechanical and physical properties.
Natural rubber has many advantages in these applications, being strong and highly elastic and having good "tactility" or feeling to the user. Natural rubber has several shortcomings, such as susceptibility to "pinholes" therethrough, rapid attack by ozone which causes scission cracking, and oxidative attack during storage which causes cracking and destroys the physical integrity of the product. Natural rubber is also not hypoallergenic due to the residual surfactants, vulcanizing agents, stabilizing agents, antioxidants, and/or protein materials in the rubber. Persons who are particularly susceptible to irritation or sensitization, or who use the rubber products for extended periods of time, may experience allergic reactions.
Various types of synthetic elastomeric polymer products have been developed for use in thin articles produced by dip forming. Synthetic rubber compositions may be dissolved in solvents to form a true solution, so that pinholes are much less likely to be present. Many available synthetic rubber compositions have various other shortcomings, including unacceptable tactility. While each such composition may meet some of the requirements, most do not have the required combination of strength, tactility, resistance to environmental damage, and hypoallergenicity required for many products such as examination and surgical gloves, condoms, and other medical products that are to come into contact with the human body.
An important advance in the art of synthetic elastomeric polymer products is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,112,900 and 5,407,715. These patents disclose the preparation of specific styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (S-EB-S) block copolymer solutions and their use in the dip forming of articles. The resulting articles have excellent elastomeric properties for use in gloves, condoms, and other products. They exhibit low incidence of pinholes, good resistance to environmental damage such as oxidation and ozonation, and hypoallergenicity.
There is, however, always a need to further improve the manufacturability of articles made of such formulations and the process economics. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.